MANILA – Two lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Thursday called for the creation of a government-run cancer specialty hospital that will cater to the needs and concerns of cancer patients, especially the poor.
House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez said establishing a national cancer center would ensure a comprehensive high-quality cancer care services at more affordable prices.
Under House Bill 1150, the Romualdezes sought the creation of the Philippine National Cancer Center (PNCC) patterned after the Philippine Heart Center (PHC), the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI), the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC).
“Kailangang government-funded para hindi madehado ang mga mahihirap na cancer patients. Iyan ang ating malasakit sa kanila (It should be government-funded so that indigent cancer patients won’t be at a disadvantage. That shows our compassion for them),” they said.
They said the proposal would complement the Cancer Control Act that President Rodrigo Duterte signed in February last year aimed at institutionalizing a national integrated program to fight cancer cases and improve cancer survivorship in the country.
“We have to complement the newly signed law on battling cancer by building the cancer specialty government hospital to take care of cancer patients. Remember that cancer is the third leading cause of death in the country,” they said.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has vowed to push for adequate funding for the effective implementation of the National Integrated Cancer Control (NICC) law during the bicameral conference on the proposed PHP4.506-trillion national budget for 2021.
Velasco stressed the importance of the NICC law to ensure that cancer treatment and care will be more equitable and affordable for all, especially for the underprivileged, poor, and marginalized Filipinos.
“The importance of this law and its full implementation cannot be overstated. We have to make sure that it is sufficiently funded so it could effectively serve its purpose of strengthening government efforts to combat cancer and increasing the fighting chance of patients to overcome the disease,” Velasco said.
Under Republic Act No. 11215, the NICC Program will serve as the framework for all cancer-related activities of the government to “decrease the overall mortality and impact of all adult and childhood cancer”.
“The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach which includes the strengthening of integrative, multidisciplinary, patient and family centered cancer control policies, programs, systems, interventions and services at all levels of the existing health care delivery system” the law reads.
The program also aims to lessen the incidence of preventable cancer, prevent cancer recurrence, provide timely access to optimal cancer treatment and care, make treatment affordable and accessible, and eliminate various forms of burden on patients and their families.
The law mandates the Department of Health to provide early and sufficient access to cancer medicines and “ensure the highest possible chance of survival among people with cancer”.
The law created the Cancer Assistance Fund, which will support the cancer medicine and assistance treatment program.
Earlier, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte requested Velasco and House Committee on Appropriations Committee chair Eric Yap to ensure adequate funding to assist cancer patients.
“My mom is a cancer survivor. Diagnosed in 2016 and successfully recovered more than a year after treatment and long-term survivorship transitions. It is our duty to provide help to every fellow citizen to our best. Give them a second chance to live,” Duterte said.